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Description

Silva’s FSC® certified kiln dried Siberian Larch boasts an impressive set of natural attributes that make it ideally suited for use as timber cladding. This unique wood species not only has a pleasing appearance but is also durable, stable and dense and will therefore provide excellent long term performance even in the harshest of environments.

At a glance

The highest grade of Siberian Larch in the industry

Naturally durable

Aesthetically pleasing golden brown colour

High level of density and hardness

Dimensionally stable

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Naturally durable Siberian Larch cladding

Siberian Larch cladding will suit any kind of setting and is therefore frequently specified for all types of residential and commercial projects, ranging from supermarkets to individual self-build homes.

The timber used to manufacture this product is cut from sustainable old growth logs harvested in the Irkutsk region of Siberia. Wood fibre from this harsh climate (long cold winters) is much sought after for its natural growth characteristics – exceptionally slow growing therefore dense with tight grain and relatively few well interspersed small sound knots.

Sizes

In addition to this 21 x 96mm board we also have available 21 x 121mm and 21 x 146mm Siberian Larch in the tongue & groove profile.

Trim boards for use as fascia, soffits, barge boards, corners etc. are also available from stock.

We also now have 14 x 110mm Siberian Larch tongue and groove v-joint cladding available from stock in both a smooth and brushed finish - this product is intended for internal use.

Installation of Tongue & Groove Cladding

Tongue & Groove cladding is nailed to timber studs or bearers with one nail per stud driven through the tongue at an angle. Please see our installation guide for further information. Siberian Larch cladding up to 150mm should be fixed with one nail per bearer. For cladding over 150mm fix with two nails per bearer.

About Silva’s Siberian Larch Cladding

Silva’s Siberian Larch cladding is produced from a consistent and reliable raw material that is kiln dried at source to a moisture content of 16 – 18% (+/-2%). Among its many benefits the kiln drying process enables the boards to dry uniformly to achieve optimal stability, have a finish applied immediately and to be installed with minimal acclimatisation on site. For more information on the benefits of kiln dried timber click here.

Boards are planed smooth on the exposed face and are machined with stress relief grooves on the reverse to further optimise dimensional stability.

‘Unsorted’ is the highest grade produced by Russian Sawmills suitable for specifications requiring a select appearance with fewer natural characteristics. Some characteristics of Silva’s Unsorted (I-III) grade Siberian Larch include the inclusion of fewer, but occasional small and well interspersed sound tight knots. These are also known as live knots or intergrown knots. Live knots are cut from the part of a tree trunk where the branches are still living and are therefore bonded into the surrounding wood fibre. They are tightly encased and do not contain any rot or dead wood.

The raw material is manufactured by one of the leading primary producers of Siberian Larch in the Irkutsk region of Siberia. With immediate access to a plentiful supply of old growth logs from this vast forest area, our supplier is able to provide us with Siberian Larch of an exceptional quality that exceeds the official 'GOST 26002-83' grading standards.

Siberian Larch – the ‘Tree of Eternity’

Siberian Larch is a sustainable, old-growth timber that has been used in construction for centuries. Today it is used extensively throughout Europe, primarily for external applications such as cladding and decking, and for other uses including flooring, bridges and even Olympic velodrome tracks. Its remarkable qualities and unique performance characteristics have led to it being referred to as the 'Tree of Eternity'.

Decay Resistance

Natural resins and extractives in Siberian Larch provide a high level of resistance against decay and rot. The primary extractive in Siberian Larch is arabinogalactan which is toxic to fungi. Siberian Larch is rated as Durability Class 3 according to BS EN 350-2 and therefore does not require pressure impregnated chemical preservatives (not to be confused with decorative / protective wood finishes).

Grain and Texture

Siberian Larch has straight grain with a fine uniform texture.

Density

Silva’s Siberian Larch grows in an ‘extreme continental climate’ which is characterised by long cold winters and short hot summers. As a consequence trees grow more slowly and contain a high proportion of latewood. This is the part of the wood in a growth ring of a tree that is produced later in the growing season. The cells of latewood are smaller and have thicker cell walls than those produced earlier in the season. The resulting wood fibre is tight grained, dense (570 - 650 kg/m3 when dry) and hard. In fact Siberian Larch is the hardest of all commercially available softwood species. It has a Janka scale rating of 1100 lb/in2 (European Redwood is 480 lb/in2). This makes it more resistant to impact and abrasion than many other wood species and therefore well suited for use in public areas where wear and tear may be of concern.

Large content of heartwood

Siberian Larch trees are composed of 75-90% heartwood in their natural existence, which is denser, less permeable and more durable than sapwood. Heartwood provides maximum durability, consistent quality and a more uniform colour.

There is a risk involved when leaving wood exposed to the elements. During the weathering process wood can appear unsightly as the material can blacken due to moisture getting into the fibres and pulling out tannins and extractives. Finish protects the wood from moisture absorption and UV degradation.

Further Information

Channel cladding is nailed to timber studs or bearers with one nail per stud driven through the tongue at an angle. Please see our installation guide for further information. Siberian Larch cladding up to 150mm should be fixed with one nail per bearer. For cladding over 150mm fix with two nails per bearer.

Fasteners

For best results use stainless steel annular ring shank nails. These have thin shanks and blunt points to reduce splitting. Nails should be driven with care into the framing members. Hand nailing is recommended as heavy nailing by pneumatic nail guns can cause wood distortion and splitting.

Batten Spacing

Siberian Larch performs best when installed properly on a suitable frame. Siberian Larch cladding should be securely nailed to battens, framing members, or to blocking between framing members. A 600mm spacing between battens is recommended.

What to Expect from Timber Products

When working with timber it should be expected that although ‘on-grade’, occasional boards may have minor imperfections that will require ‘working’ if you wish to eliminate. Examples include raised grain, small splits, minor handling marks, sticker marks etc – all of which can easily be remedied by trimming, gluing or sanding. In most cases imperfections can be removed with very little effort, and the small amount of off cuts generated as a result will be absorbed in the normal cutting and selection allowance.

Grading

Unsorted I-III Grade

The main commercial 'appearance' grades of timber from Russia are available in five distinct quality divisions. These grades are assigned Roman Numerals going from I ('Firsts') - which denotes the best looking timber, down to V ('fifths') which denotes worst looking timber.

It is not possible to buy higher appearance grades from any Russian producer in all 'First' grade for example. Higher grade timber from Russia is nowadays sold as a mixed assortment.

The highest commercially available 'appearance' grade of Siberian Larch is known as 'Unsorted'. Although the name would suggest that the material has not been sorted the timber has been sorted into the highest three appearance qualities - I,II & III or 'firsts', 'seconds' and 'thirds' (or simply described as I-III). 'Unsorted' grade Siberian Larch therefore consists of a mix of grades I - III.

The difference between the 'Unsorted' and 'Sawfalling' grades is that the latter also includes IV ('fourth') grade in the mix, therefore 'Sawfalling' consists of a mix of grades I - IV. The actual percentage of each quality division in any one shipment or pack of both 'Unsorted' and 'Sawfalling' grades correlates with the natural recovery of the timber while sawing.

Environment

Independently Verified Environmental Credentials

Siberian Larch is one of the few old growth species that are being harvested from a sustainable forest. Larch species actually account for 38% of the timber in a forest area 2.7 billion acres in size. The natural growth rate of Siberian Larch is five times more than the rate at which it is being harvested, making it a sustainable renewable resource that is in plentiful supply.

Silva Timber takes great care in ensuring that the Siberian Larch we buy comes from a sustainable source – it is fully FSC certified.

This product carries Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Accreditation

FSC is a world-wide, independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation representing environmental and social groups and the timber and forestry industry. It aims to generate certification of forestry activity that incorporates clear guidelines and standards covering social, environmental and economic aspects of forest management.

Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives of the last decade to promote responsible forest management worldwide

The FSC label provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.

Chain of Custody (CoC)

The FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification system provides an audit trail from forest to final use. The rigour of the system is ensured by regular independent inspection at all stages in the supply chain.

FSC chain of custody (CoC) tracks FSC certified material through the production process - from the forest to the consumer, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution.

Only FSC CoC certified operations are allowed to label products with the FSC trademarks. The FSC label thus provides the link between responsible production and consumption and thereby enables the consumer to make socially and environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.